


Horrowed

by MistressChoc



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Mystery, Other, The Lazaret (The Arcana), badass portia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 08:00:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20254837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressChoc/pseuds/MistressChoc
Summary: This is based on a prompt I received. This is a harrowing adventure with the apprentice and Portia.





	Horrowed

Your investigation had lead you to here, the docks that face towards the grim reminder of Vesuvia’s blood soaked past. The Lazaret. 

You weren’t sure this was a good idea but something was pulling you there, not just the leads, but something familiar. Portia was already in the small boat that was tied there looking at you expectantly.

“Well apprentice? Are you coming?” the red head grinned her eyes sparking at the prospect of adventure. Portia’s upbeat attitude and bright smile put you at ease once more. Portia had loosened the ropes tying the boat to the dock. She defiantly knew her way around knots.

“Yes, sorry,” you said as you carefully climb into the boat. The tiny boat was more unstable than you thought it was and would have toppled into the water if it weren’t for the firm hands around your waist steadying you. “Whoa…thank you, Portia,” you blush and stumble into the boat safely.

“Any time,” Portia winks and looks about for oars and frowns. “Hmm this might be a problem,” she said, shoulders slumping slightly it would seem your adventure was over before it began.

You smile and shook your head. “I might have an idea,” you say summoning magic to your fingers and dipped them into the water behind the boat. The moment you touched the water, the boat began to move at a leisurely pace. You look up to see Portia grinning from ear to ear.

“Apprentice you’re amazing! Good thinking,” she places a small peck to your temple. Her lips are so soft and warm and a blush crosses your cheeks at the slight contact. You are no use to this kind of praise and hearing it from Portia made you feel warm and fuzzy.

When you got closer to the shores of the small island you allowed the boat to ride the inertia to the blackened shores. “Well, we’re here,” you say feeling a tightness in your chest as you stare up at the wild foliage of the shore line.

Portia was eager to take the lead and she gave you a reassuring smile and climbed out of the boat. You follow suit and regretted leaving the safety of the boat behind. Dread crawled up your spine like cold dead fingers, sending a shiver throughout your whole body. You look to Portia and noticed that she was standing a little too ridged. She had felt it too.

The island did not want either of you there.

This time it was your turn to reassure Portia. You place a hand on her shoulder before sliding it down her arm and took hold of her hand with a gentle squeeze. “I felt it too,” you say softly. “So much death, it has left its mark here.” You notice a blush on Portia’s face and saw she was looking down at your hands, fingers intertwined.

“Lets go check this place out, I bet it’s haunted!” Portia returned to her bubbly self and tugged you along the beach, a little more excited than she should have been. “Oh! Do you think we will find more ghosts like Lucio’s here?”

He island seemed quiet, not a sound could be heard. Like the island was a void of anything. There was not even a breeze here. “Maybe, but this place…feels different than the counts wing,” you couldn’t pt your finger on it but the oppressiveness was different here than it was at the palace.

This eerie atmosphere barely dampened Portia’s enthusiasm and eagerness to solve this mystery. The clues had lead you here, there had to be something here. “Come on lets explore,” Portia grabbed your hand and lead the way.

The sand around the island seemed to be black all the way around. There were some vegetation, like nature was slowly taking back the island after so many years. Just through the dark trees you spot a crumbling building, in ruin and decay and you’re feet began to move of their own accord until you felt yourself being tugged away. You snap out of whatever trance you had been in and looked up to Portia who looked a little pale.

“Portia? What is it?” you ask concerned for your mystery buddy. You had not seen her so rattled before.

It took a moment for Portia to find her voice but when she did she slowly pointed to a tree just a little further up the path. “there’s a body…in the tree…” Portia whispered and a sudden gust of wind made the trees on the island sway and groan. There indeed was a body, swinging in the breeze.

Both of you were uncertain about approaching the tree but you were there to investigate so you went over to the swinging body.

As you approach you started to make out details of the corpse. Whoever they were they had nice black boots, long and almost piratey. Their pants were black and well tailored. There was a sign around the neck of the person and words were quickly scrawled over the sign. ‘Guilty’.

Then portia froze. Her hands covering her mouth as her entire body began to shake. “No…nononono…Ilya?!” trembling Portia fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face.

You look up at the face of the person and saw the unforgettable face of the good doctor. Except his one eye was bloodshot and glassy, he had clearly been there a while. Maybe since after he paid you a visit in your shop.

Julian's body swinging from it’s branches, the rope against the tree creaked. “Ilya…oh brother I’m sorry, I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner. You dumb bastard why would you do this to us?!” Portia screamed looking up at the corpse as if excepting it to reply. “You could have come to me for help, You weren’t to blame!”

You kneel beside her and pull the sobbing woman into your arms and hold her closely, letting her cry and scream as much as she needed. “I’m sorry Portia…I'm so sorry,” you whisper rubbing gentle circles over her back. You didn’t know what else to say or do. All you could do was hold her. 

Then you felt a familiar tug from your pocket, your masters cards. Part of you wanted to ignore them but the sensation almost felt urgent. With one hand you fished them from your pocket and pulled out one card. It was the Death card. Normally they didn’t speak directly to you but you could hear the words as clear as day in your mind. 

‘its fake. Don’t trust your eyes.’ The Death card said and our frowned. Then you looked back to the tree where the corpse was. It was gone! Quickly you put the card back after thanking Death.

“Portia,” you cup her cheeks to make her look at you. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. “Look, he’s gone,” you said pointing at the tree.

Portia got to her feet and looked around. “Where…wait…was he really there?” she asked looking frustrated and confused. She wiped her eyes free of the tears and looked around.

“It’s this island, it doesn’t want us here…Julian was never there,” you explain and brush the sand from your legs.

You could see that Portia was trembling again and her hands curled up into fists. She was mad.

“This island….made me see my brother dead? That means we’re heading in the right direction,” and there it was her usual enthusiasm. Her smile was a little tight, but it made your heart leap to see her smile again. 

You couldn’t help yourself as you took a step into her personal space and pulled her in for a deep passionate kiss. She was so strong, but you knew that this event had effected her more than she was letting on. You had caught Portia off guard and when you pulled away could see the shock on her face.

“Then lets keep going,” you smile back and this time you lead the way. You give Portia a smirk over your shoulder and you could have sworn she was blushing. /That’s my Portia/ you think to yourself as the two of you continued on with your investigation.


End file.
